Today's Trade
is not all bad. I was at Citizen's Bank Park, behind home plate, for Lidle's last start. He gave up just 2 runs in 8 innings en route to a victory. His fast ball was diving and his curve was under control. He's inconsistent to be sure, but that alone makes him better than Ponson, and when he's right, about half the time, he doesn't stress the bullpen, which Wright does all the time. I'd say he's worth 4 games over what they have now. Abreu I'm less excited about, but if he doesn't have to be the Man, as he did in Philly, he might be serviceable as a role player. His OBP and basestealing makes him a no. 2 candidate, with Jeter hitting 3.
posted by joe valente | 6:42 PM
5 Comments:
The more and more I look at the trade I like it, but I wish we would have gotten rid of Beam instead of Smith.
I'm with you on that, but if you consider that the Yankees may have acuired the best starter available (he's won his last 4), I think it's more likely to help than hurt.
I think Lidle is the most important part of the trade and I agree that Abreu is in many respects no better than Melky. But I don't really believe Sheffield is coming back at all this year and Matsui will likely not be at full strength. And Abreu is much better than Williams. For one thing he can field the position and he has a really good arm. (With Abreu in the lineup you can DH Giambi and play Craig Wilson at first, also a better hitter than Williams). For another he runs well and steals alot of bases. My gripe with Giambi is that he waits for walks and then clogs up the basepaths; Abreu can get to second and score on singles--neither of which Giambi can do. The clubhouse rap on Abreu is the most valid; his work ethic is impeachable. But I have to say I think you are really overrating Sheffield. Comparisons with Ortiz are grotesquely hyperbolic in my view. He was that great in the 2004 regular season ; but he was as responsible as anyone for the historic playoff collapse. After game three, he kept swinging for the fences and popping out. He was not so great last year and flat out stunk in the playoffs. His hot dog play running into Bubba (it's always the CF's ball) cost them the series, a series in which he otherwise did as little as AROD. Nor was he much of a clubhouse asset either. To me, his comments have always screamed self-absorbed egomania. More importantly, his OF play had begun to scream DH, and we already have too many of them. Since we'll save all that option money on him next year, Abreu will not prove all that high priced a screw up.
Yeah, I'll be really sorry to see Bubba go, as I assume will be the case (look for a waiver line trade to florida; Giardi, who should be managing the Yanks, always loved Bubba.) But the truth is torre wouldn't play him regularly. If he had, we might be wondering if Abreu is really an upgrade over Crosby, who also runs well, throws well, fields well etc. I'm less sorry to lose Phillips, whom I feel they gave every opportunity. His ratio of rallies killed to rallies extended has remained too high and the power he promised has too often proven to be of the warning track variety.
I love the line-up, though it would have to change in about a week when Cano returns. At that point, I think I'd have Cano follow AROD, Cabrera follow Cano, then Posada then Wilson.
I think you'rem right that Wright would be a better choice out of the bullpen then Ponson. Unfortunately, he's also a much better alternative as a starter. I know wright doesn't give you enough innings, even when he pitches well for 5, but I have seen no evidence that Ponson is capable any longer of pitching well for 5. The Yankees mange to win about 7 of every 12 games that Wright starts. I doubt they could manage that % with Ponson. I think the question is, does Ponson stink so bad because he is no longer ina any kind of shape, and if so is he capable of giving you one inning (the sixth say) every third day? (the starts of Wright and every other start of Johnson).
Aaron Small story or no, I'm glad it's Guile and hope it's now to be Phillips. Bubba is like the team's Luis Sojo, you know, if Sojo were actually an athlete.
Post a Comment
<< Home